Hong Kong's fencing world champion Ryan Choi arrives home ‘with grateful heart'
Speaking on his arrival at Hong Kong International Airport, 27-year-old Choi described his relief and joy after reaching the pinnacle of his sport.
Having so often been overshadowed by Cheung Ka-long, Hong Kong's two-time Olympic champion, Choi not only won a world men's foil title before Cheung but also dethroned his teammate to become the world No 1.
'I am grateful now, having always missed out by a little in my career,' Choi said. 'So many times, I felt it was going to be my day, but it was never me.
Ryan Choi (right) celebrates his victory over Kirill Borodachev in Tbilisi. Photo: AFP
'I have never felt so fulfilled. This is the first time I feel that God is really good to me. I really have nothing to complain about. I will now continue my career with a grateful heart.'
The first Hongkonger even to reach a world final, Choi last Wednesday beat Kirill Borodachev of Russia 15-9 in Tbilisi to become his city's first world champion.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
World Games 2025: Hong Kong's athletes ‘fully prepared' for Chengdu showpiece
Hong Kong's athletes have set off for Chengdu as the mainland Chinese city prepares to host the World Games, which will open on Thursday. Advertisement The Games, an international multi-sport event held every four years, consists of sports and disciplines that are not contested in the Olympics. This year's edition in Chengdu, in China's southwest, will last from August 7 to 17, and will feature more than 200 medal events across 34 disciplines. Hong Kong athletes will compete in seven of the sports: air sports, billiards, karate, orienteering, squash, water skiing and wushu. The city's delegation is led by chef de mission Wong Po-kee, the honorary deputy secretary general of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China. Advertisement 'The World Games represents the highest level of international competition for non-Olympic sports,' Wong said. 'More than 20 athletes from Hong Kong, China have qualified to participate, which is a testament to the city's exceptional sporting talent.
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Tributes paid after Macau footballer is killed in car crash aged 20
Tributes have been paid to a young Macau footballer who played for his city's representative team, after he was killed in a car accident on Monday. Leon Ng Lai-teng, who was 20 years old, was one of six passengers involved in a single-vehicle accident near Macau's Grand Prix Building, local media reported. The car crashed into barriers on Avenida da Amizade on Monday morning. Reports stated that the vehicle's 20-year-old female driver lost her life in the crash, as did Ng, another 20-year-old male and a 19-year-old male. Three further people suffered life-threatening injuries, according to the reports. Ng had played for Macau's representative team against their Hong Kong counterparts at Hong Kong's Mong Kok Stadium in March this year. Leon Ng in action for his club. Photo: Instagram/chingfung_macau His club team, Cheng Fung, paid tribute to their player's 'hard work, spirit and passion for football'. A right-sided defender in his football career, Ng played in Hong Kong last year when he took part in December's qualifying tournament, hosted in the city, for this summer's East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) Championship in South Korea.
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
China's Shandong Taishan gets 2-year ban from Asian club competitions after Ulsan no-show
Chinese club Shandong Taishan has been banned from Asian club competition for two years for its no-show against South Korean side Ulsan HD in the Asian Champions League (ACL) Elite in February. The Chinese Super League side pulled out hours before the February 19 match, blaming 'serious physical discomfort' of players and saying they were unable to form a team. The Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) Disciplinary and Ethics Commission said Shandong would not be able to play in the AFC's club competitions up to and including the 2026/27 season editions, and fined the club US$50,000. It also ordered Shandong to return a participation fee of US$600,000 and a performance bonus of US$200,000 to the AFC along with compensation of US$40,000 to Ulsan 'in respect of damages and losses claimed' by the South Korean club. Shandong's pull-out came days after the club said it had banned supporters for 'inappropriate behaviour' during a home ACL match against South Korean team Gwangju after fans in the crowd displayed images of South Korea's last military dictator, Chun Doo-hwan. Hundreds of people are estimated to have died or gone missing when the South Korean government violently put down the Gwangju uprising by pro-democracy protesters in May 1980, when Chun was the de facto leader of the country after leading a military coup.
